Lincoln-Way Central girls basketball earned a statement conference win, defeating Lincoln-Way West 43-37 in a tightly contested Southwest Suburban Conference matchup.
The game was played Jan. 27 at Lincoln-Way Central, where the Knights used strong team defense and control of the boards to secure the victory in front of a home crowd.
Lincoln-Way Central held the Warriors to 27 percent shooting from the field and just 8 percent from 3-point range, forcing tough looks throughout the night and limiting second-chance opportunities. The Knights finished with a 33-23 rebounding advantage and converted key possessions late to maintain separation in a game that stayed within one or two scores for most of the second half.
The Knights’ balanced effort was led by their senior core of Olivia Gehrke, Aubrey Birmingham, Brooke Katzmann and Scarlett Abramowicz, who provided steady play on both ends of the floor. Juniors Katie Barrett, Christina Galka and Molly Ryan helped control the tempo in the backcourt, while freshmen Jordan Cradduck and Gianna Young added size and rim protection in the post. Nicole Demma contributed on the glass and in defensive rotations as Lincoln-Way Central limited Lincoln-Way West’s scoring runs.
Up next, the Knights travel to Lincoln-Way East for a conference matchup on Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
The last time the Knights faced Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way Central dropped a 41-35 decision on Feb. 11.
